Shear



March 13, 1928.

H. C. RALSTON l SHEAR Filed March 5, 192'? 5 Sheets-Eheml 1 5. 192'? 5 Sheets-Shea?, .2.

March 13, 1928.

H. C. RALSTON sHEAR Filed March Inventar.' HELEV EHLSTO/V,

March 13, 1928.

H. c. RALSTON SHEAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1927 Mentor.' #me/.5y C2 EQLTo/V,

March 13, 1928.

H. C. RALSTON SHEAR Filed March 5, 1927 5 Sheets-Shee'c 4 @NNN March 13, 1928. 1,662,473

H. C. RALSTON SHEAR y Filed March 5. 192'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 #4f/ EY C. EH/ TON,

Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

fom-Teo starts .PATENT Carica.. N

HARLEY C. RALsToE, or CLEVELAND, eine, Assenon 'ro THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY or NEW JERSEY, A conromifrron E NEW JERSEY.

SHEAR.

Appncaeon flied Marcil 15, 1927-. serial No. 173,101.

rlhis invention relates to shears and more particularly to portable power shears for cutting bars, rods and the like, and hasfor its object the provision of a shear of this class which may be adjusted or moved uni- \f'ersally so as to cut at any angle.

Another object is to provide a shear which is supended from an overheard traveling ca`rrier or crane so that it may be readily raised and lowered and moved from place to place.

A `further object is to prov-ide an electri cally powered shear having;I a novel se1niautom-atie control mechanism2 which ai'ter being started in operation will automatically control the `operalition until the shearingis completeln the drawings- Figure l is a side elevation of a shear mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is au enlarged sectionalside elevation of the shear body.

Figure S is a top plan of the shear bo'dy.

Figure 4 is a front elevation th reo.

liigure 5 is a sectional elevation on the line IV-V ot Figure 2. f

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation through the automatic limit and reversingswitch 'of the shear, showing the position of the switch just prior to the liinit of the operation of the motor in either direction.

Fifgure 7 is a diagram of thc shear motor control.

Referring more particularly to the draw"- ings, the letter A designates the crane as a 'whole7 from which the shear is suspended. The crane A is of standard construction and comprises a bridge member 2 provided with lian-ged wheels 3 and adapted to travel along track members Zl. A standard electricalliy1 operated crane trolley 5 having a wheeled carriage 6 is mounted on the bridge 2 and adapted to travel longitudinally there-V of. The trolley 5 is operated by an electric motor 7 carried thereon. A pair Vof power lines 8 are mounted along the bridge 2 and are connected to a second pair of power lines 9 extending along one' of the tracks 4 by'a pair 'of trolley l() mounted 'on the bridge 2. A second pair 'oftrolley arinswlQ are mounted on the crane trolley 5 and serve to collect the power vfrom the power lines 8 and deliver it to power lines connected to the crane motor 7 and the motor of the shear.

The usual lifting cable 13 Ais secured to l"are mounted in the housing'.

the drum ll of the crane trolleyoand is adapted to be raised and lowered bythe ro'tation of the drum gized. A bail ring l5 is supended from the lifting` cable 13 by a swivel connection 1G and has itsend pvotally mounted over vtrunnions 17 on a circulargroove'd track ring` .i8 which supports a'shear B.

The shear l has a housing 20 which ene closes` the workinp` parts and also supports th'e 'reversing motor 2l for operating the shear.

The motor 42l has an extended 'armature shaft 22 .vhich passes into the h'ousingi` 20 and j'ournaled in bearings The .shaft is provided with a worm 24: which is ineshed with a worm-wheel on stub when the motor 7 vis ene'r- .shat't 2G iourlaled in bearings 27 in the housing` 20. The shaft 2 6 is also provided with a spur gear 98 whichfis -ineslijed with 'a spur gear 29 on a vertic'alfs'crew shaft 30 jo'urnaled in bearings 3l.

A; pair of shear arms 3 2 and 33 are pivotally mounted adjacent their forward ends on pivotpins ,3d lvand a, respectively, which The screw sliatBO is provided with right and leltliand threaded 'portions 36 and B7, respectivelyfand threaded sleeves `-ornuts 38 and 39 are threaded on the respective threaded p'ortionsof said shaft.

The nuts 38 and 39 are each provided with trunnions 407 and the respective shear arms 32 and 33 have their rear ends provided with slotted ears fl-l which lit over the trunnions 4-0 so that the respective shear arms are operatively connected tothe respective nuts.

The forward ends of the shear karms 32 and 33 are provided with she-ar blades 43 9 Vand 44, respectively. winch are detachahly secured in place by screws or bolts l5.

Two pairs of shear blade guards 46 and 47, respectively, are mounteth one Vpair on each side of' the housing. The. guards 16' and 47 are pivotally mounted on the pivot pins 3ft and 35 and are normally held in closed position by spr-ings 48. -The guards i6 and 47 are adapted to norm-'ally be held closed and to be opened when the 'shear is forced `over the article to be out.

The shear B as a whole is rotatably mounted in the circular groovedvtraekrin-g 18 and for this purpose is provided with a set of three `spaced anti-frietion casters lil, wllicll lll-e lllollnted on llrllcliet 5i) on ille sllellr and extend inio ille grooved trllelc ring 1S.

Tlle voperlltiioll of ille sllellr als so lill' de- Scrilled is :ls follows- 'l`lle crlllle :ind erllne trolley nre lil-:st nlored io position ille elle-.lr Pl cloe=e io ille ll'ol'l; io lle sllellrell; ille electric lllotor T on ille ellllle irollej.' is illen opel'llied to rllise or lower ille sllezlr ll io ille propel' lleigllt .l'or ille wol-ll'. iier ille sllellr l is tlllls` posiiiollell it nllly lle tilted llollil \v lll' roilliillg ille ring 18 oll its il'llllniolls, :loll l'l'lll)v lle flirting llorizonillll)Y lllle to ille swil'eled colllleciion lil lleill'eell ille llllil ring 15 llnd lii`ting ezlllle lil; or ille sllellr only lle rotllied ioidili'elellir :ingles ellollt ii l longitudinal llKifs lll' rotatingl ille Sllelll llollilj.' ill ille trllcli ring lil.

Alfter ille 1-llellr llll.k1 lleen properly poriiiolled. ille Sllellr will lle l'lll'cell over ille Worlvpiece io lle Fllellrell. llllll ille llloior :2l will illell lle ellergil/.ed .L'o :ls io roizlie illel screw sllllli S0 ill :l clockwise direi-lion eo ills to cllllFe ille llllis lil llllll lfl to nlole :lpalril on ille slllllil 30 llnll tlllls rock ille sllellr :lrms 3Q und ll llllolli illeil pivote 3l llnd 35, respectively. so ns to lllol'e illeir iol-wurd ends carrying trlle slleilr llllldesf Llil llllrl lil iogeiller to sllelll' ille Work-piece. Allier ille work-piece is slleslred, ille llloior 2l will lle reversed io reillrn ille elle-.lr :ll-nm io illeir nornllll or opell position.

A pllsll buiten collirol 5l, eonisiingY of ll cosiner lllld ollr lllltiolls (L, o, e, :lllll (7, is nlollllied on ille slleflr housing. llle llllitolls a, lllld 7l, llre ille control lllliiolls Yl'or controlling' ille clllne trollellv llloior T. Yille detllils olvtllie control lleillg colnlnoll ill ille crlllle :iria lllld eillndllrd construction. :ll'e not slloll'n.

'Ille pllsll lllltions c :llld Z :lre ille sizlriin;T llnd elllere'ellclr leiop lllli'iolll'or eollirolling ille operlliioll ol' ille l lle:ll llloior 2l llllll llre included ill ille control circuit; Vl'or ille nloior 2l elllowll ill Figure T.

All lllliolnzliic lilllit :llld reversingA .swiicll C is lnollnied on tlle sllellr llollsiller :ind is connected in ille control cirellii. io ille llloior 2l so :ls io lilllii4 ille opel'lliiioll oi ille llloior 2l ill lloill iin` lorwllrd :llld reverse lil-el'- iiolls :llld io :llliollllltiellll'l' reverse nllid llloior.

rllle swltell (l colllprles :l cllslllg nl posite sides of ille pivotal lllolllliillg of .Quill arm and llllve their otller ends connected io the bllse of ille casing 55. A screw slllllt 6T is jollrnllled ill ille ellsillg :llld projects tllrougll tlle forward end illereo'l' lis llt G8. 'llle projecting portion (i3 ol" ille slllll'i (5T lllls :l Sprocket ll'lleel (Si) Secured illereoll lrllicll is connected lily :l lilll: drive cllllill Ti) io ll sprocket Tl Secured oll ille llrlllllillre sllllli. 22 l ille llloior 2l, lo illllt` ll'llell ille lllotor 2l is operated ille screw .slllli't UT will lle operated.

A switcll opellltlillgA slloe T2 is illrelldell oll ille slllll't (3T and lllle ll .slillilrer f -olllleeiioll wiill :l `guide roll T2) .Clo als io prerelli ille llloc ilolll roilliingl'. und colllpellillg ille slloe to lllol'e longitudinally on ille leren' llllll'i. (3T ll'llen Szlid sllzli't l'oillied.

A resistance lilox T5 und control llox Tl :ll-ll lllollnied on ille erlllle trollo)v fl. 'l'l lfox T5 contains ille resitllllce TT, ll'llile ille llo:\' Til eonillins silllldllrll lln'itclliller llleellllllislll lvlliell is indicllled flizlggrlllllllllliicllllli ill lfigl lll'e T ot ille dl'lllrille ill wllicll ille opel'zllinl." llnd control cilclliis llre. illlleirlliell.

rl'lle trolley lll-lll?l 12 serre to l'lllllisll power to ille lines 'Til lllll T5) wlliell .allpplyv ille electric power io ille llloior :il illl'ollejll ille switching nleellzlnislll ill ille llol; Til, :llld ille Switell (l. A pllir oll eepllrllte power lillel (not Sllowll) serve io l'llrniell power llolll ille trolley llrllls 12 to ille crlllle lllotor T.

vWllell it is' desired lo operllle ille llellr ille operator will prees eiiller ille raising or lowering lnltioll (f. or /l oi ille pllrll lllllioll control 5l, ll'lliell will ellliee il l: erllllc trol le \y llloior T io operllte illlolle'll :l stallrllllwl control (noi Hllon'n) to l'llilee or lower ille sllellr ll to ille level ol" l'lllI lllllierilll io lle elli. After ille Sllellr in illlll` poiliollell lllll :lllellr lllzldele'. ll'ill lle l'ol'cell oler ille llorll piece. lllld ille operllior will illell p|l.-ll ille sillriille pllsll lllltioll l" of llle pll ll lllllioll control. illu.; closing :l rircllii. l'rolll Ille lille Til illrollell ll lille Si), eolltllri4 (3i) :lllll :3T ol' ille .Cllriicll C. lille til. pllSll lllltioll r'. lille 82, io :l coil 83. lille fill. llllll lille h5 io lille T9. Tlle completion oi ille :lllove circllil, cllllses ille energizing oi ille coil hl so :ls io :liirllciA ille eollialctors Sii :lllll HT :lllll ellllee illelll io engage collilletfl 1% :lllll Nfl. Wllell ille collilleior 8T is: lllovell io elosell position ii also bridges colline-is Uil :lllll ill :lllfl eloselrl control circuit plllllllel io ille, olle. llrel'iollwll' closed lly ille pusll lllliioll e, l'rolll ille lille 81 tlllollgll ille lille 92 io ille coil Sil so illlll ille pllsll lllliton e nlll)y illen lle relellsl-ll. The closing of ille collizlctors` S6 :ind ST ll'iill ille contacts 88 :llld S9 closet#y ille power circuit to ille nlotor Q1. from ille line TS illrolllrll :l line 93, eontllct 88, contllctor Sil. linesill and 95, to ille motor llrlnllilll'e. illellce illrollgll al. line 96 and eollizlcior ST lllld contact Si) to lines 9T und 9S. to line Slt).y thence tllrollgll ille accelerating resistance TT IUI) lli)

and line 100 to the motor series lielfd 101, and te other line 79. VWhen the above power circuit is completed the motor Will operate to actuate the shears B and lalso to operate the automatic switch C. When the motor has made a predetern'i'ined number yot revolutions, sufficient to move the shear jaws through their cutting movement, the shoe 72 on the screw shaft 67 of the switch C will have moved a suiiicient distance to release the contact 60 ol the switch C and engage the contact 59 with the contact 56 At a po-int in the operation of the switch C, just prioil to the limit of `operation of the motor in either direction the shoe 7 will engage both of the legs 61 and 62 oi' the switch so as to move both contacts 59 and 60 into closed position (see Figure 6).

However, since the contact 87 lcontrols the circuits made by the 'contacts 59 and 60, at opposite extreme positions, it can only close one ol the circuits at a time. Assuming, therefore, that the contacts 60 and 57 are closed, as shoivn in Figure 7, and that the shear is being operated.. the contacts 59 and 56 Will be closed While contacts 60 and 57 are still closed by the shoe 72 engaging the leg 61 otthevswitch prior to releasing the leg 62. The closing of the contacts y59 and 56 while the contacts 60 and 57 remain closed Will not complete any circuits since the contacter 87 Will be held Iin bridging position across -the contacts y90 and 91 to vcontinue the holding circuit through the contacter' operating coil- 83 untilfthe contacts 60 and 57 are opened. W'henv the contacts 60 and 57 are opened, the circuit through the coil 83 will be broken and the contactors 86 and 87 will fall into reverse position with the contacter 87 bridging the gapy in the line 108. iVhen the contacter 87 bridges the gap 'in the line 108, a control circuitavill bel completed through the operating coil 109 so as to close contactors 110 and 112 and break the circuit to coil 102, since contactsv 59 and 56 have been previously closed by the shoe 72 before the contact 60 has been permitted to open. After the shear has operated in the reverse direction and is approaching the end of its reverse travel, the shoe 72 will again engage the leg 62 so as to close the contacts 60 and 57 While the contacts 59 and 56 still remain closed. However, the closing et the contacts 60 and 57 will not complete any circuits While the contacts 59 and 56 remain closed, since the line 81 is broken by the push button c and the line 92 is broken at the contact points 90-91. The shear will therefore continue to operate in the reverse direction until the shoe 72 releases the leg 61 and permits the contact 59 to break contact With the contact 56 When all circuits through the switch C will be broken and the shear motor will come to rest. Now, when it is desired to again start the cycle otoperations, it is only necessary to 'close the push b-utton c to complete the circuit from the contacts 60 and 57 through the line 81 to the holding coil 83, which coil will attract contactors 86 and 87 and contacter 87 Will close the gap in line 92 at the contact points 90-91, thus completing a control `circuit throughthe coil 88 and permit thepush button c to be released.

'lVhen the contacter 87 is moved into positionv to contact with Contact 89 it also closesl a circuit to the coil 102y so as to cause the contactor 103 to engage a contact 10-1 and thus cause the motor circuit to shunt through aline 105 from the line 98, thence through a line 106 to the line 100 so as to short circuit the resistance 77, and allow the full current to low to the motor 21.

When the contacts 60 and 57 are disengaged in the switch C, the circuits tothe coils 83`and 102 are broken, so as to allow7 the eontactors 86, 87and 103 to drop out. Simultaneous with the disengaging of the contacts 60 and the contacts 59 and of the switchCWill be engaged so as to re-V verse the operation of the motor.

-The engaging ot the contacts 56 and 59 i will complete a circuit from the line 78 through line 80, contacts 59 and 56 to a line 108, to a coil 109, thence through line to the line 79.

Energi'zation of the coil 109 will attract contactors '110 and 112 and cause these contactors` to engage contacts 113 and 114i, respectively, thereby closing a reverse power circuit to the motor from line 78 to line 115 through coi'ituct 113 and contacter 110 to line 96, and back through line 95, the contactor 112 and contact 11d to lines 98, 99, resistance 77, line 100, and motor series lield 101 to other line 79. f v

then the motor is reversed the screw shalt 67 will be operated in the reverse direction so as to cause the shoe 72 to move in the return oit the shear jaivs to their open position, the shoe `72 will be moved out of contact'vvith the leg 62 and .into contact with leg G1, so as to permit the switch arm to roch about its pivotal mounting and break the enm gagenient between contacts 56 and 59 to mahe contact between contacts y57 and 60 again in readiness to complete the circuits first described when the push button c is operated.

From the above it Will be apparent that it is only necessary for kthe operator to depress the push button c for an instant in order to start the above described cycle of operations and that the remainder of the cycle ot' operations Will be controlled autoniatieally.

I claim- 1. The combination With a suspension member, ot a circular track member suspended therefrom, and a shear member mounted in said track memberand rotatable therein.

Q. The combination with a suspension member, of a circular track member suspended therefrom, and a power shear member mounted in said track member and rotatable therein.

Si. The combination with a traveling suspension member, of a circular track member suspended therefrom, and a shear member mounted within said track member and rotatable therein.

et. The combination with a vertically adjustable and traveling suspension member, of a circular track member suspended therefrom. and a shear member mounted within said track member and rotatable therein.

The combination with a traveling crane haring a power-operated vertically adjustable suspension member, ot' a power-operated shear member suspended from said suspension member, and means on said shear for controlling the operation of said suspension member and said shear.

(5. The combination with a travelingcrane having a power-operated vertically adjustable suspension member, of a circular track member suspended from said suspension member, and a power-operated shear member mounted within said track member and rotatable therein.

7. The combination with a traveling crane having a power-operated verticallj7 adjustable suspension member, of a circular track member suspended from said suspension member.l a power-operated shear member mounted within said track member and rotatable therein, and means on said shear for controlling the operation of said suspension member and said shear.

The combination with a traveling crane haring a power-operated vertically adjustable suspension member, of a bail ring having a swiveled connection with said suspension member, a circular track member pivotalljv' connected to said bail ring for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and a power-operated shear member mounted within said track member and rotatable therein.

il. A power shear comprising a housing, a. pair of shear arms pivotalljr mounted at a point between their ends in said housing. shear blades on the forward ends of said arms, a screw shaft journaled in said housing and having right and left-hand threads thereon, a pair of nnt members threaded on said shaft, one of said menlbers being on said right-hand threaded portion of said shaft and the other of said members being on the left-hand threaded portion of said shaft, means forming a pivotal connection between the rear ends of said shear arms and respective ones of said nuts, whereby during rotation of said shaftsaid nuts will be held against rotation and compelled to more longitudinallj7 of said shaft and rock said shear arms about their pirot al connection with said housing, a reversible motor for rotating said shaft in opposite directions, and means carried on said housing for controlling the operation of said motor. said means including an automatic reversing mechanism operable by said motor.

l0. A power shear comprising a housing, a pair of shear arms pivotally mounted at a point between their ends in said housing, a screw shaft journaled in said housing and haring right and left-hand threads thereon, a pair of nut members threaded on said shaft, one of said members being on said right-hand threaded portion of said shaft and the other of said members being on the, left-hand threaded portion of said shaft, means forming a pivotal connection between the rear ends of said shear arms and respective ones of said nuts, whereby during rotation of said shaft said nuts will be held against rotation and compelled to more longitudinally of said shaft and rock said shea r arms about their pivotal connection with said housing, a reversible type electric motor mounted on said housing and haring a geared connection with said screw shaft. a push button control on said housing for closing the circuit to start said motor. and an automatic switch mounted on said housing and operated by said motor, said switch being adapted to autoimitically reverse said motor and break the circuit to said motor at the end of` its reverse movement.

In witness whereof, l have hereunto signed my name. j

HARLEY C. RATJSTO. 

